Beautiful Nightmare
by Fb-PHE13
Summary: Nightmares are not foreign to Jemma Simmons, but this one is different, and she can't shake it off. Leo Fitz knows something is wrong the moment she passes his bunk, so he goes down after her to the lab, not expecting to see her so distressed as she was.


Simmons woke up in the middle of the night, chest heaving as she rubbed tears out of her eyes. Knowing she would be unable to sleep, she left her bunk and headed down to the lab to try and distract herself from her dream.

Once in the lab, she checked to see if everything was in place, muttering to herself as she went along. The door opened behind her, and she whipped around, startled, but relaxed when she saw it was only Fitz. "Hey," she whispered, voice catching in her throat from crying earlier.

Fitz said nothing as he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. Simmons wearily rested her head against his chest as he rubbed her back comfortingly. She was thankful they were so close; he could always tell when something was eating at her. "What's bothering you?"

She shuddered even though she felt safer with Fitz holding her tight. "Sorry," she whimpered, Fitz still rubbing her back as he kissed her head gently.

"No need to apologize," he murmured softly. "You're safe now, Jemma."

"I know," she replied, feeling his rubbing slowly ceasing to a stop, but he didn't let her go.

"Do you want to talk about it," he asked her, and she knew he wouldn't push if she didn't want too.

Simmons nodded, starting to shake until he held her closed, letting her slowly relax. "W-we were all out on a mission," she whispered, struggling to breathe as the night terror came rushing back, once more her body started shaking. "There was an ambush and they captured all of us, locking us in different rooms. We were together, but-" She broke down crying again, burying her face into the crook of his neck.

"Shh, it's alright, Jemma; you're safe. We're all safe, no one has been captured." Fitz gently rested his hand on the back of her head, assuring Simmons he was still there, and he still held her close, not wanting to let her go. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want too."

"I know," she choked out, still trembling, but not as violently as before, "but I need too." She really did, or else it was going to bother her for the rest of the night. At the academy, they would talk to each other whenever they had nightmares, and it would help them sleep better after.

"Alright," he whispered in reply, but let her calm down without pushing her to talk.

"We were tied to chairs in the same room but… but they came in and… and they killed you, Fitz! They killed you…" Simmons's shoulders started to tremble again as she struggled to hold back her tears.

"I'm here," Fitz assured, rubbing her back again to calm her as she let herself cry into his neck again. He didn't care about it; he was just worried about her. He'd never seen Jemma so distressed before, not even when he went with Ward on the two manned mission. Besides, he had night terrors before about Simmons dying before his eyes, so he knew how frightening it was. "Everything is alright. Everyone is safe."

Simmons drew in a rattling breath before slowly pulling back, looking at his face and into his eyes. "Can… can you stay with me?"

Leo was a little surprised by her request, but agreed to it, wanting to do anything he could to help put her mind at ease. "I will," he replied, letting her take his hand in hers and twine their fingers together.

"Thank you," Simmons murmured, before moving away and keeping hold of his hand.

"Anytime," he replied softly as she then led him out of the lab and back up the stairs. Together, they crept past the occupied bunks, trying not to wake anyone along the way to Jemma's.

They made it to her bunk and she opened the door, sliding inside and sitting down in the corner on her bed. Fitz sat down next to her and wrapped his free arm around her shoulders, still holding her hand. Simmons leaned into Fitz, calmer than she was before their talk.

She stated silent for a moment, wanting to say something but too afraid to speak. "What's on your mind, Jemma?"

Jemma closed her eyes, afraid that if she spoke he wouldn't be the same. However, she knew some risks were better to take. "I… I love you, Leo."

When he said nothing, Simmons's heart dropped and she started to pull away from him, slipping her hand from his. Leo suddenly pulled her back, holding her close once more and grabbing her hand, twining their fingers together again. "I love you too, Jemma."


End file.
